Zebra Barred Dartfish (Ptereleotris Zebra) Group Tank Size

[Darth_Tater]

Hi all!

I've got a 40 gallon breeder with an oversized skimmer (an Eshopps S-150 with the Sicce PSK 1000). Current residents are a young pair of O. Clowns, a Watchman Goby, and a McCosker's Wrasse. I would like to add a small shoal of "schooling" fish. I realize they won't school, or even shoal, but like watching the social interactions of groups of fish.

I was thinking of either Threadfin or Orange striped Cardinals, but have recently discovered that these barred dartfish stay smaller than I realized. All info I see says a single fish is fine in a small tank. Would a group of 3-5 be happy in a 40 breeder?

Also, does anyone have experience with any of the 3 fish I listed as options? I've only ever seen them at the LFS and fish never behave the same there as at home.

Thanks!

 

[CoralNerd]

I had five Zebra Barred Dartfish, but the ones I got were mature and 4". They were pretty big, and pooped a lot. When there adults they have this chin barb thing that comes down. I took four of them out as my purple firefish was not adjusting well with them. The one I left is sweet so it gets along with the firefish. The Zebras do mess with the sand bottom. Nice fish, I do like them but your tank will look crowded if you get them the size I had. My tank is 90g.

I plan to try the cardinalfish you mentioned. I can't talk my wife into the plan looking threadfin so I will probably go with the yellowstriped cardinalfish but I only plan to get two. I wonder if the threadfin glows under blue lights?

 

[3dees]

I have two zebra's and a scissortail in my 120 gal. no problems with any fish, but they do spend a lot of time in their bolt hole. don't know how I would remove them. as soon as I go near the tank they go into their hole so fast it's hard to see. nice fish but I wish mine would stay out more and I have a peaceful tank with no aggressive fish.

 

[CoralNerd]

I have two zebra's and a scissortail in my 120 gal. no problems with any fish, but they do spend a lot of time in their bolt hole. don't know how I would remove them. as soon as I go near the tank they go into their hole so fast it's hard to see. nice fish but I wish mine would stay out more and I have a peaceful tank with no aggressive fish.

What fish do you have? There is someone that's intimidating them if there not out.

 

[3dees]

they were some of the first fish added almost two years ago and they behaved this way from the start. I do have two yellow tail damsels, a coral beauty, and a sixline but I always watch and have never seen any aggression towards the dart fish. they do come out but only for about ten minutes or so.

 

[CoralNerd]

Ok, those are kind of aggressive fish, that's why you don't see them. Sixlines are know to be punks. [emoji15] [emoji165] [emoji85] [emoji86] [emoji87] [emoji32] [emoji79] [emoji16] [emoji6]

 

[eatbreakfast]

A group of pink bars will be fine in your tank. With more numbers they are bolder. They are very peaceful and hardy.

Threadfins reflect some blue, but aren't very pretty.

Orangestripe cardinals are fine, but don't swim around much.

 

[CoralNerd]

Hi all!

I've got a 40 gallon breeder with an oversized skimmer (an Eshopps S-150 with the Sicce PSK 1000). Current residents are a young pair of O. Clowns, a Watchman Goby, and a McCosker's Wrasse. I would like to add a small shoal of "schooling" fish. I realize they won't school, or even shoal, but like watching the social interactions of groups of fish.

I was thinking of either Threadfin or Orange striped Cardinals, but have recently discovered that these barred dartfish stay smaller than I realized. All info I see says a single fish is fine in a small tank. Would a group of 3-5 be happy in a 40 breeder?

Also, does anyone have experience with any of the 3 fish I listed as options? I've only ever seen them at the LFS and fish never behave the same there as at home.

Thanks!

Did you get all that info on the Zebras? Anymore questions? [emoji118]

 

[MellowReefer]

Please make sure you have your tank completely covered, and I mean COMPLETELY, no small holes. I had one jump out of a gap in my lid about the exact width of the fish (1/4 inch). It's like he looked up and aimed to jump out exactly at that point. Only had him a few days Beautiful fish.

 

[Darth_Tater]

Thanks for the replies!

I do have a screen cover for it. I had a firefish jump out a hole in the screen I made to put a power cord through that was almost exactly the size of the fish. My wavemaker has been moved to make that impossible.

So these dartfish, do they behave similarly to firefish? I've heard they dig, is that common?

 

[CoralNerd]

Thanks for the replies!

I do have a screen cover for it. I had a firefish jump out a hole in the screen I made to put a power cord through that was almost exactly the size of the fish. My wavemaker has been moved to make that impossible.

So these dartfish, do they behave similarly to firefish? I've heard they dig, is that common?

Yes, they burrow. Similar to a firefish, as they are both in the dartfish family and they do dart into a bolt hole. Try and get small Zebras if you do as their bio load is a little heavy when their big and also the bigger Zebras will intimidate the firefish. [emoji6]